Vehicle-wheel.



6. R. RIGGS.

veHlcLE WHEEL APPLICATION FILED AUGJS. 1915. RENEWED DEC. 15.191?.

\ 3 E f f2 Nur- UNITED STATES YJDYATENT OFFICE. Y

,r A .1 JMP; .una i f: .mi Lp t A Y Application led August 13, 1915, Serial No. 45,2715` Renewed December l5, 1917. Serial No. 207,358.

TQ the onterihub menber i-YLhQSPOke,memberekthes ,Loatepl intermedi ate rela ch members/...1era -nd 2i ci .each

therewnh i egrrallyfconnecrml `herto Lthdnnutel: vblauem en @Q11 Mndfptedtoreoeive a suitable cover or dust plate (not shown).

wir@ ipnel.;1nuatio.ftireffil@ie. to belunderwdhwevthmrmformofmion- `nmol the torm mail as a limtetiom lere connected and. spoke members being r1 ,dlyonneoted to thmhuhmembem Nr.1 any.. es1mh1e--mannerwthe ,outa1:.zends of 75 .the spoke, memhersfal irigid-ly. uniteddoe bhe dfolly,.one@nethod.beingillustrated, in,- which K.the ends. of.A the spokemembprsj arlprorided engage Vlabo inneren pellphel'y ofthefelyaad to be bolted there so toabmlllelhoaded bolts-lS-.m l.' .mm

11de r ofJ flhespoke memberszfoisl ln'ovided With@ Cllrvd. portion. 19 ,to enableltheepoko membersio partially embrace or inclose thea;

cushionnglmember 1;6. .Eig 85 pair fozspoke plunger memberr 2943theinner Plongee being ailagted to iex- 1awelltabloloperng. 22 imi-,heu

outer liub mem er 13.

ghe@ 2Q arepreferqhly 'proxridedintermdpte hm?) endsf'wlth. alcurved; or. howfedlgomon 23 and in order to permlt of an inward moyeymenty of the lunger mernbem the hummm-a4 e,. .and prefcnablyi. is.,.\ provided 95 adlcent lthoflopenin'g 22 with an outwardly open.s1qtorfgrooim.24, if. t

cludes relatively rotatable members which may for convenience be formed as sprocketshaped members 28, these members being held in proper position on the spindle l0 by the shoulder 1l hereinbefore described; each Irember 28 is provided with a plurality of spaced points udiacent the periphery therec', each of said points being preferably provided with a pivot pin 28. Iivotally connected to the inner end 21 of each of the cushion actuating members 20 by the pivot pin 21 are a pair of oppositely extending and preferably rigid link members 29 and 30. One of the links, as for instance 30, being connected to one of the members 28 by the pivot pin 28 and the other link being connected to the other member Q8 in a similar manner.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that the means of connecting the cushion actuating members to the hub, comprising the relatively rotatable members and the links produces in effect a toggle connection for each actuating member, the force always acting at the common pivot point of each pair of links and acting to increase their angular relation. It will also be evident that a force applied to one of the actuating members Will spread the links connected thereto and thereby produce a relative rotation of the sprocket-shaped members and a movement in a radial direction of all of the other actuating members.

In order to prevent a relative rotation of the rim and hub members, pockets 34 are preferably provided in the inner face of the rim member, each pocket being adapted to receive the outer end 26 of one of the actuating members 20. These pockets are preferably provided with inclined side Walls to permit of the normal operation oit' the device and are further provided adjacent the side walls thereof With upstanding lugs 35 adapted to engage the actuating members to prevent the same from passing entirely out of the pockets.

The rim member 8 is preferably made in two parts, united by a plurality of headed bolts 33.

The operation of the device will, it is believed, be clear from the foregoing description. It Will be evident that a relative movement of the hub and rim will place one or more of the cushion actuating members under a compressive strain and cause an inward movement thereof, and as stated above an inward movement of one of these members will cause a relative rotation of the members 28 and an inward movement of all of the other cushion actuating members. This inward movement of the cushion actuating members is of course resisted by the cushioning means which is compressed equally at a number of places, equally spaced around the wheel.

It Will thus be seen that I have produced a vehicle wheel, which while possessing none of the inherent defects of the pneumatic tired Wheel is capable of using a pneumatic tire as the cushioning means and which protects the tire, if used, from all Wear and tear and liability of puncture. The wheel possesses great strength and rigidity and is capable of withstanding the great strains to which motor vehicles are subjected.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description of one embodiment of the invention is merely illustrative, and not to be taken in a limiting sense, since what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a Wheel, the combination of a hub member, a rim member, annularly arranged cushioning means interposed between said hub and rim, and a plurality of means each adapted to operatively connect the said hub and rim, said connecting means being adapted on a relative displacement of said hub and rim to compress said cushioning means at a plurality of spaced points.

2. In a Wheel, the combination of a rim member, a hub member, a plurality of spoke members, a circumferentially arranged cushioning element, a plurality of cushion actuating members, said members being spaced from said spoke members, toggle means connecting said actuating members and adapted on a radial displacement of said hub and rim members to cause a movement in unison of all of the actuating members.

3. In a Wheel, the combination of a hubmember, a rim member, a circumferentially annularly arranged cushion element, a plurality of ushion actuating members and means connected to said actuating members ada ted on a radial displacement of one of sai members to produce a movement in a like radial direction of all of the other actuating members.

4. In a Wheel, a rim member, a hub member, having a seat for a cushioning element a cushioning element therein, a plurality oi cushion actuating members adapted to move radially to actuate said cushion, and means connected to said actuating members adapted on a radial displacement of one thereof to produce a displacement in a like direction of all of the other actuating members.

5. In a Wheel, a rim member, a hub member, one of said members being provided with a seat for a pneumatic tire, a pneumatic tire therein, a plurality of movable members adapted to operatively connect said hub and rim, means connected to said movable members adapted on a positive movement of one of said members to produce a movement in unison of all of the other members, the said tire being adapted to yieldingly resist the movement of said members.

6. In a Wheel, a hub member, a rim member, a elly, a plurality of movable memlll bers adapted to operatively connect said hub and rim, seid hub being provided with an :innulerly arranged seat, a pneunmtie tire therein the said connecting members being adapted to engage said tire, and means ron nected to said movable members, adapted on un inward movement of one of said members to produce a simultaneous inward movement of all of the other of said members, the said tire being adapted to yeldingly resist the said inward movement of said connecting members.

7. In u wheel, the combination of n hub Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve oents each,

member, a` rim member, annnlarly arranged cushioning means interposed between said hub and rim and a plurality of means connected to the hub member and each adapted during a portion of a revolution of said wheel to form a connection between said hub and said rim and adapted during :1nother portion of :1 revolution of said wheel to be out of Contact with said rim, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature.

GEORGE R. RIGGS.

by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

